Turn on your TV and you are never far away from an All3Media production. Shameless, Midsomer Murders, Hollyoaks, Richard & Judy, ITV's formula one coverage - all produced by various parts of Steve Morrison's empire, the big beast of the independent production sector.

Set up just four years ago by the one-time Granada Media Group chief executive and two of his former ITV colleagues, David Liddiment and Jules Burns, All3Media was bought by US venture capitalists Permira last year, netting Morrison a fortune estimated between £10m and £15m.

Established with the backing of another private equity group, Bridgepoint, All3Media began by buying the Chrysalis TV business. It then embarked on a spending spree scooping up the likes of Brookside producer Mersey TV, Castaway producer Lion Television and Company Pictures, which makes Shameless.

Morrison's empire now spans 11 independent production companies, including Bentley (Midsomer Murders), Cactus (Richard & Judy) and North One (formula one). It also moved into talent management, buying up Michael Foster's Artists Rights Group.

And it shows no sign of slowing down just yet, acquiring Birmingham-based Maverick Media, producer of Channel 4's 10 Years Younger, last month.

"I'm really enjoying myself and hope we will build a bigger production business," Morrison told the Independent last year.

He has said his company is built around "TV brands, new ideas and exceptional talent".

Morrison and his management team continue to be major shareholders in the company following last year's Permira deal, which valued the company at around £320m.

A former producer of World in Action, Glasgow-born Morrison spent 28 years at Granada, with credits including Cracker, Prime Suspect and Oscar-winning film My Left Foot.

He rose through the ranks to become chief executive of Granada Media in 1996 and was instrumental in the broadcaster's purchase of Yorkshire TV, LWT and United News & Media. He left in 2002 in the wake of the ITV Digital debacle.

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